Tube-packing apparatus for condensers



July 2, 1929. s. F. BLAIN 1.719.420

TUBE PACKING APPARATUS FOR CONDENSERS Filed Nov. 25, 1925 Patented July2, 1929. i

SEVERIN IE. BIiAIN, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

TUBE-(PACKING APPARATUS FOR CONDENSERS.

My present inv mtion relates primarily to methods and implementsfor-applying pacifing strand or thread to seal the joints between thetubes and the tube sheets of steam condensers.

It is an object of the invention to provide a method and an implement ofthe above type by which the packing strand can be applied in positionwith the utmostspeed and with the utmost tightness or security of packing, yet without binding, jamming or fraying the strand in the courseofapplication A more specific object is to provide an implement of theabove type by which the first loop or turn of the strand is reliably andspeedily positioned. against the inner end of the cavity tobe packedwithout binding, doubling or catching in the process of application. a

Another object is to provide an implement of the above type by which theordinary packing strand can be used in the absence of any paral'lin orother binding. material, the force applied by the packing implementalone bein g suihcient to render the packing secure.

Another object is to provide animplement of the above type of ruggedconstruction, the use of which shall require a minimum of skill andpractice. i

It is a feature of. my invention to assr'ieiate with a strand packingtube of familiar construction provided with the usual oblique strandpositioning end, a novel strand guiding member displaceable.longitudinally of said tube. Said guiding member which is preferably atube, encircling the packing tube,

affords a notch for releasably retaining the i extremity of the strand.A centering shaft preferably protrudes from the packing tube about whichthe end of the strand is looped once, preparatory for use. The centeringshaft'and the packing tube above described are mounted so that they mayhave substantially independent rotaryn'iovement.

The strand guiding tube serves to retain the extremity of the stranduntil the packing tube has reached and closed the outer end of thecavity to be packed. The packing tube, after taking up the slack in thepacking strand, releases the extremity thereof from the guiding tube,and pushesthefirst or initial turn of the strand against the inner endof the cavity to be packed. This action is pro d 61 in a'preterredarrangenimt by causing an aiucmatic limited reverse in action at atApplication filed November 25, 1925. Serial No. 71,421.

guiding tube at the beginning of the advance of the packing tube. Thus,the notch in the guiding tube is caused to pass over the extremity ofthe strand and thereby to hold it against the centering shaft, at thesame time drawing the extremity of the strand out of the notch,whereupon the forward thrust of the packing tube correctly advances saidstrand extremity and loop into and against the inner end of the cavitytherefor, and out of engagement with the guiding tube. Preferably theguiding tube affords second notch through which the strand is fed afterrelease of the extremity thereof from the first notch.

My invention finally has for its object to provide a centering shaftwhich is free to rotate inside the strand packing tube, so that anytending of loosening and turning the tubes in the tube sheet will beeliminated.

In the drawing, Fig. l shows my preferred apparatus completely assembledand ready for attachment to the turning brace.

Figs. 2, 3 and l show in a diagrammatical way the different workingphases of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawing in which like reference characters designatecorresponding parts, 1 represents the tube thread packing apparatuscomprising the hollow handle bar 2, one end of which is adapted to beheld by the operator, the centering shaft 3 and the thread guide 4 allassembled as shown in Fig. 1 and held in proper relative positions bymeans of the spiral springs 5 and 6 between the centering shaft and thethread packing tube and between the packing tube and the thread guiderespectively.

The spring 5 is placed around the centering shaft 3 and is housed andretained by the thread packing tube 9 surrounding said shaft so as tocause the centering end 7 and part of the head 8 of said shaft toproject beyond. tube 9. Said shaft and packingtube, while concentricallyassentibled, shown on the drawings, are however arranged so that rotarymovement of one member will not, during use of the device in the mannerdescribed, cause the rotation of the other member.

The thread packing tube 9 has its end obliquely cutso that a loop ofpacking thread can readily be held tightly in place around the centeringshaft head 8.

lIhe illorward spring motion of the camer trip; shaft it arrested by thetie it) which is prevented fromslipping off the shaft end by means ofthe ring 11 which fits tightly in thegroove 12 of the shaft end.

The packing tube 9 is part of the handle bar 7 2, being connectedthereto at the end so as to leave an annular space 13 in which thetubular thread guide 4 slides back and forth.

The handle bar 2 has a screw 15 extending into a groove or slot 14longitudinally of the strand guide tube 4:, said groove or slot beingcurved at its inner'end, as shown, in a counterclockwise,direction whenviewed from the operators end.. The spring 6 which is housed between thestrand guide tube 4 and the thread packing tube, as shown in Figs. 1 and2', normally presses the guiding tube 4- forward' until the curvedextremity of slot 14 is ing thread 23.

'Ihecente'ring shaft end? has a diameter equal to the inside diameter ofthe condenser tube and the centering shaft head 8 has a "diameter equalto the outside diameter of the tube and the spring 5'keeps 'the shafthead 8 normally extending beyond both the strand guide 4 and the packingtube 9, thus facilitating the placing of a loop around the shaft andthrough the notches in the, outer end of the strand guide.

Theop'eration of the apparatus is as follows:

The operator first inserts the packing strand'23 into the slot 21 of thethread guiding tube and loops the strand end around the centering shaft8 and into the shorter slot 22. One wall of slot 22 may be formed withan j inturned tongue to restrict the entrance to the slot and therebymore securely retain the strand end in position before commencing thepacking operation. He then draws upon the strand untilonly the, veryextremity thereof is retained by notch 22. The centering head 7 1 isthen inserted into the tube end.

It is to be noted that the outer endof the packing tube has a cutawayportion 25, reg istering'with both the slots in the slidable strandguide when the packing tube is being pressed intothe'cavity to bepacked;

With the tube end so out, the packing strand will not jamb between thepacking tube and the tube sheet and the, packing strand will be readilypressed home into the cavity.

It is also important to keep the slot which retainsthe strand extremityas close to the tube sheet as possible so that the relative releasemovements of the thread guide around and over the packing tube will bekept as small as possible.

Therefore, it is important to have the thread guide to bear against thetube sheet whenthe strand end release takes place.

Also the simultaneous bearing of the centering shaft against the tubeend prevents the release strand end from catching between the condensertube and the packing tube.

It is evident that the compressible springs 5 and 6 positioned betweenthe centeri ug shaft and the packing tube, and the packing lube and thestrand guide respectively, insure proper bearing of the centering shaftagainst the tube end and of the strand guide against the tube sheet.

By thrust upon the implement the strand loop is readily pushed over thecondenser tube end by the packing tube 9 which has a diameter nearlyequal to that of the annular packing space 20, all as illustrated inFig. 2. This operation naturally compresses the spring 5.

Pressing the handle bar 2 further forward, theoperator will. cause thethread guide 4- to fetch up against the tube sheet 19 whereby thespringti will be pressed back and be compressed and the thread guide 4will be pushed back and turn clockwise, as viewed from the tube end ofthe device, and as indicated in Fig. 3, causing the loose end of thepacking thread to wind up around the tube end in an opposite directionto the winding proper.

The packing strand extremity thus passes out of slot 22 and under the.tongue formed by the extremity of said slot. The further advance of thepacking tube 9, as it is pushed into the cavity to be packed, will thencause the loop of packing strand to be completely disengaged from thenotch 22 and to be accurately laid in posit-ion, pre niraiory to coilingthe packing strand in place. liy rotation of brace 16, while maintainingpressure against the implement, the strand is securely coiled around thetube end 19 into the packing space 20, notch 21 guiding the strandthroughout this operation.

lVhen the in'iplement is removed from the tube-sheet, the springs 5 and6 expand, automatically restoring the parts to their initial relativeposition shown in llig. 1.

After removal of the apparatus a. ferrule (not shown) is screwed intothe threaded packing space con'ipressing the packing in the conventionalmanner.

During the operation the operator has to manipulate the thread as it isbeing payed outbut a clip (not shown) may be furnished under which thethread will pass so as to keep it in proper tension at all times.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the specificdetails of construction as it is manifest that variations and modilllfillll fication may be made in the adaptation of the device to variousconditions without departing from the spirit and scope of my inven tion.

By the construction described, an ordinary operator after but a shortperiod of practice :an pack condenser tubes at the rate of 6 to 10 perminute and effect a result equal to the best that can be accomplished bythe much slower and fatiguing hand packing methods in'common use.

I claim:

1. In a tube packing device, adapted to wind a packing strand around theend of a tube, the combination of a hollow handle bar, provided with astrand packing tube, a slidable centering shaft which is free to rotatein the strand packing tube, a spring between the centering shaft and thepacking tube, a

slidable strand guide around the packing a tube, a spring between thepacking tube and the thread guide and means to give to the strand guidea rotative motion around the packing tube in a direction opposite to thewinding proper when the spring between the packing tube and the strandguide is being compressed.

2. In a tube packing device, adapted to wind a packing strand around theend of a tube, the combination of a hollow handle bar, provided with astrand packing tube the end of which is obliquely cut off, a slidablecentering shaft which is free to rotate in the strand packing tube, aspring between the centering shaft and the strand packing tube, aslidable thread guide around the packing tube, a spring between thepacking tube and the strand guide and means to give to the thread guidea rotative motion around the packing tube in a direction opposite to thewinding proper when the spring between the packing tube and the strandguide is being compressed.

3. In a tube packing device, adapted to wind a packing strand around theend of a tube, the combination of a hollow handle bar, provided with astrand packing tube, a slidable centering shaft which is free to rotatein the strand packing tube, a spring between the centering shaft and thestrand packing tube, a slidable strand guide around the packing tube, aspring between the packing tube and the guide and a curved slot in saidstrand guide whereby a rotative motion is imparted to the strand guidearound the packing tube when the spring between the packing tube and thestrand guide is being compressed.

4. A tube packing device, adapted to wind a packing strand around theend of a tube, having in combination a tubular handle bar provided witha strand packing tube, a slid able strand guide around the strandpacking tube, a spring between the packing tube and the strand guide andmeans for imparting to the strand guide a rotative motion around thepacking tube in a direction opposite to the Winding proper when saidspring is being compressed.

5. A packing implement comprising a strand packing tube, a strandguiding member exteriorly of said tube, a centering shaft through saidtube, said guiding member having a feed slot for the packing strand anda notch for releasably retaining the extremity of said strand loopedonce about the centering shaft, and means for imparting to the guidingmember, a limited rotative motion around the packing tube in a directionto draw the extremity of the loop against the shaft and out of thenotch, whereby the packing tube in its subsequent advance relative tothe guiding member into the cavity to be packed will disengage thestrand extremity from the holding notch therefor.

6. In a tube packing device, a strand packing tube. and a slidablestrand guide surrounding said tube, said guide having a pair of slots inits outer end, one of said slots being adapted to lead a strand into thecavity to be packed, and the other of said slots being adapted to retainthe extremity of the strand in position prior to its insertion into saidcavity, the outer end of said tube having a cut away portion registeringwith both of said slots when said tube is being pressed into the cavityto be packed.

SEVERIN F. BLAIN.

